Chilean Exports Surge Over 11% in First Two Months of 2026, Setting New Record

Original article: Exportaciones chilenas crecen más de 11% en los dos primeros meses de 2026 y marcan nuevo récord

Agricultural products, mining, manufacturing, and services have driven Chile’s trade exchange to grow consecutively for the past 18 months, according to the latest Monthly Trade Report from the Undersecretariat of International Economic Relations (Subrei).

The analysis, based on data from the Central Bank and the National Customs Service, indicates that in the first two months of 2026, the country’s trade exchange totaled US$33.879 billion, reflecting a 5.7% increase compared to the same period in 2025 (+US$1.839 billion), marking 18 consecutive months of growth.

The document also revealed that in January-February, Chilean exports reached US$19.763 billion, achieving an 11.4% increase (+US$2.025 billion), the highest amount on record for the first two months of any year, with record values for both traditional and non-traditional shipments.

According to the report, mining exports rose to US$11.266 billion, with a 19.4% increase compared to the same period in 2025 (+US$1.834 billion), setting a new record for foreign sales.

The country’s main export sector continued to be copper, which generated returns of US$9.243 billion, an increase of 12%, with rising sales of both cathodes and concentrates.

Additional products that significantly contributed to the increase in mining shipments during the first two months of the year included lithium carbonate, gold, iron, silver, and molybdenum concentrates, all of which saw double-digit gains.

On the other hand, the fruit sector reported overseas sales of US$2.361 billion, reflecting a 12.2% decline compared to the same period in 2025. «This can be attributed to lower returns from fresh cherry shipments, which has been largely offset by increases in hazelnuts, fresh nectarines, fresh plums, avocados, and other products,» notes the Subrei report.

The report also highlights that food industry exports climbed to US$2.521 billion in the first two months of the year, an increase of 10.6%.

Meanwhile, bottled wine exports totaled US$191 million for the period analyzed, a 3% increase compared to the same timeframe in 2025. This sector’s recovery was led by the varieties Sauvignon blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Riesling, Viognier, Syrah, Carmenère, vermouth, and sparkling wines.

In the forestry manufacturing sector, total shipments amounted to US$882 million, marking a 17.2% annual decline owing to reduced shipments of cellulose, profiles, moldings, and cardboards.

Similarly, chemical manufacturing accumulated exports of US$1.508 billion, reflecting a remarkable 39.8% increase this year, driven by greater returns from iodine and a rebound in shipments of lithium sulfates and hydroxides.

Returns from machinery and equipment also rose to US$250 million, showing an 11.8% increase, prompted by shipments of machinery for mineral processing, parts and pieces of iron, refrigeration showcases, among other manufactured products.

Traditional and Non-Traditional Exports

The study noted that by the second month of 2026, traditional goods exports accounted for 52.3% of the country’s total overseas sales, while non-traditional shipments made up 47.7%.

In this context, the report indicated that by the end of February, non-traditional exports exceeded US$9.417 billion, marking a 9.2% increase compared to the same period in 2025, representing the best start to the year on record.

Specifically, the rise in non-traditional shipments was primarily led by gold, frozen jack mackerel, silver, frozen salmon fillets, fresh plums, hazelnuts, fertilizers, fresh nectarines, fresh plums, fresh avocados, drilling, and survey units, bacon, tankers, safety glass, quillay bark, beer, and seeds, among others.

Service exports also reached a historic milestone, with overseas services worth US$672 million so far in 2026. This amount reflected a 14.5% increase compared to the same period in 2025, solidifying sustained growth in the sector.

«During the analyzed period, 165 different service provisions were made abroad, with 83 of them showing increases compared to the previous year,» emphasized Subrei officials.

The leading services in these exports included aircraft maintenance and repair (US$207 million), administrative business management consulting (US$52 million), marketing consulting (US$33 million), logistical support (US$28 million), and information technology consulting (US$23 million).

The Citizen